Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England
    Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England
    Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England
    Ebook91 pages1 hour

    Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England

    By Joyce Holgate DeMille

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Not yet eighteen years of age, I was allowed to leave the office early before the nightly bombing began in earnest. Walking down the street on my way to the railway station, suddenly I found myself high up on a spiked metal fence outside an office building. An angry air-raid warden yelled at me, What are you doing climbing up there when an air raid is in progress? Why arent you in that shelter on the other side of the street under that eh, eh Building, he was about to say, when he saw that it was no longer there, just a huge cavity where the large office building with the shelter in the basement had been. Many workers were killed there. Then he turned his attention back to me as I was clamoring to be helped down. Why are you up there? he exclaimed in irritation. Mad as hell, I asked him how did he think I got up there by myself, hurting as I was and afraid I would soon be undressed, the iron spike of the fence having pierced the collar of my coat, and it was a long fall to the pavement. Needless to say I was as surprised as he was. How did I get there then?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLifeRich Publishing
    Release dateOct 25, 2013
    ISBN9781489700278
    Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England
    Author

    Joyce Holgate DeMille

    Joyce Holgate Demille was born in London, England in May 1923. Educated, in England, Norway and summer school in Neuchatel, Switzerland. According to FSU, matriculation from high school in London, England at age 16 was equivalent to 2 or more years of college in the USA. At age 17 drafted to work in London at war office, commuting from suburbs, secretary in department of Norwegian Navy, Norwegian Shipping Department, and later BBC Overseas Department, beamed to underground workers in Norway, until the end of the war. Went to Norway to see how old friends had fared under occupation and worked as a secretary in the British Embassy in Oslo When stress from commuting during bombing finally caught up with her, left to spend time with parents in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, where her father had been sent by the World Bank to help reconstruct the German economy. Worked in Reconstruction Loan Corporation (run by her father, Dr. H.C. F. Holgate) as a translator for a while. Met her husband, Cecil (Ces) DeMille, a sergeant in the US Air Force who made her laugh again. Married Ces in Shipton-under-Wychwood, in the Cotswold hills in England on October 6, 1951. They arrived in Georgia September 1952 where she worked as a Legal secretary in Valdosta. Georgia. Their daughter, Beryl, was born in March 1954 at Moody Air Force Base. When husband Ces was studying at Florida State University in Tallahassee, she worked as secretary to Millard Caldwell, former Governor of Florida until sent for by her father in England who was sick and wished to see her and the baby before he died. On her return to the States a few months later she worked as a secretary at the University of Florida where her husband was a student. When her husband’s tour of duty in the Air Force finished, he found work in Thomasville, Georgia and she worked as a Court Reporter in the Court House in Thomasville. Joyce became a United States citizen on October 6 in Albany, Georgia. She worked as a secretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture , Market News, in Thomasvillle, Georgia, retiring from there after 22 years. She later worked for the State of Georgia. At age 55 she became a long-distance runner, winning many 5, 10 and 15K races in her age group, and 2 mini-marathons when 60. She was an active member of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Thomasville, Ga. from 1957 to date. Her 23 yr. old grandson lives with his parents Larry and Beryl Westlake in Lakeland, Florida. Her husband Ces spent his last ten years as a patient in Skilled Nursing in the Presbyterian Home in Quitman, Georgia where he died on April 5, 2004. She was Secretary-Treasurer of the Thomasville Running Club, Secretary-Treasurer of NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) in Thomasville, served as Auxiliary President of T.L. Spence American Legion Post 31 in Thomasville. Member of Tallahassee Chapter of National Secretaries Association (International). Enjoys gardening, knitting , and reading. In print: wrote 2 pages of Professor Ray Barfield’s book, ‘Listening to Radio 1920-1950’.

    Related to Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England

    Related ebooks

    Wars & Military For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Letters

      Mar 14, 2024

      I wanted to write in to say how moved I was by Hannah Skoda’s article on the history of breastfeeding (An Act of Love, February). I became a mum myself quite recently, and wasn’t ready for how breastfeeding can feel lonely, frustrating, beautiful and

      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Aug 25, 2021

      Readers’ Letters
      4 min read

    • Article

      Surrounded by Sacrifices

      Oct 5, 2021

      Surrounded by Sacrifices
      3 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Sep 21, 2022

      Readers’ Letters
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Days After

      Sep 1, 2023

      The Days After
      6 min read

    • Article

      “Hooray! The War Is Ended”

      Apr 16, 2020

      “Hooray! The War Is Ended”
      5 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Aug 6, 2020

      Reader Joseph Nicholas is correct when he writes (Letters, August) that the main focus of the Allies’ attempt to break the Soviet Union’s blockade of West Berlin in 1948–49 was an airlift, with planes full of food and other essential materials landin

      4 min read

    • Article

      Dear Paul

      Sep 11, 2020

      Dear Paul
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Doctor Is In

      Jul 30, 2019

      The Doctor Is In
      3 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Apr 5, 2023

      Readers’ Letters
      5 min read

    • Article

      Mourning Glory

      Oct 19, 2022

      What for you were the most moving moments during the coverage of the Queen’s funeral? For me it was, probably, the first sight of her coffin being borne on the shoulders of those fine young soldiers - or possibly her groom, Terry Pendry, on the Long

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Happiest Man On Earth

      Nov 5, 2020

      We were a big loving family. I was born in 1920 in Leipzig, Germany. My father, Isidore, and mum, Lina, had me soon after they married, followed by my sister, Johanna – Henni for short. Proud of our country, we considered ourselves German first, and

      6 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Mar 9, 2022

      The Oldie, 23-31 Great Titchfield Street, London, W1W 7PA letters@theoldie.co.uk To sign up for our e-newsletter, go to www.theoldie.co.uk SIR: I thoroughly enjoyed A N Wilson’s memories of Auberon Waugh (March issue) and his piece reminded me of the

      6 min read

    • Article

      Readers' Letters

      Jan 10, 2024

      SIR: I read in AN Wilson’s column on higher education (January issue) that in 1960 the Professor of English Literature at Liverpool University earned more than the striker of Liverpool FC. This is very probably true, as until 1961 professional footba

      4 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Jan 25, 2024

      Letters
      13 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Oct 29, 2020

      I read with interest about Captain Francis Grose and his contribution to the English language (My History Hero, November). However, Captain Grose also had a hand in creating one of Scotland’s most famous literary figures, Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burn

      6 min read

    • Article

      Ein Berlin, Remembering The Wall, And My Own Past

      Feb 26, 2018

      THE FIRST TIME I LEFT BERLIN I WAS A VERY SMALL GERMAN person with an American mother, a German father and a very odd accent in English. I sounded like I’d been raised by 19th century nuns, or Jackie Kennedy. (This is what happens when you learn a la

      3 min read

    • Article

      Wartime Diarist

      May 8, 2018

      Wartime Diarist
      7 min read

    • Article

      Family SECRETS

      Apr 7, 2022

      Journalist Michelle Hather, 58, lives in south-west London with her husband Simon. She is originally from Liverpool and has three sons, Oscar, 29, Rorie, 27, and Louis, 25. As mum to three young men, I look at the terrible suffering happening right

      5 min read

    • Article

      Drawing On History

      Jun 4, 2019

      Drawing On History
      6 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Feb 9, 2022

      The Oldie, 23-31 Great Titchfield Street, London, W1W 7PA letters@theoldie.co.uk To sign up for our e-newsletter, go to www.theoldie.co.uk SIR: Like Gyles Brandreth, my husband and I are great fans of Bargain Hunt. As well as enjoying the banter betw

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Enigma Of The Flying Boot

      Apr 16, 2023

      When Anzac Day comes around, my thoughts go immediately to my parents, both veterans of World War II. Both served in the Middle East – my mother as an Royal Air Force nurse and my father as a second lieutenant in the NZ Army. However, their service r

      5 min read

    • Article

      What Will We Do for Fun Now?

      Dec 15, 2020

      What Will We Do for Fun Now?
      23 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Growing up in 1940S War-Torn England - Joyce Holgate DeMille

      Copyright © 2013 Joyce Holgate DeMille.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      LifeRich Publishing

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.liferichpublishing.com

      1 (888) 238-8637

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4897-0026-1 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4897-0027-8 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013950827

      LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 10/18/2013

      CONTENTS

      Preface

      Acknowledgments

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      Chapter X

      Epilogue

      Glossary of English Words

      Bibliography

      About the Author

      This story is dedicated to the memory of my sister, Beryl Dale, without whose loving help it could not have been written and to my daughter, Beryl, who gave me much needed assistance and encouraged me.

      And also to my husband Cecil (Ces) D. DeMille.

      Preface

      I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS book after being asked why I fought the Germans, also because my daughter and others, after listening to some of my stories, suggested I write about them. I found that no one realized that seventeen-year old girls were drafted to work in the war effort, although we were never called veterans. It seemed to be a little known fact in the U.S. that England stood alone, with Hitler literally on our doorstep for some time so all hands were needed to keep them from occupying our little Island.

      Acknowledgments

      MY FIRST THANKS MUST GO to my sister, Beryl Dale, now deceased, who for many years reminisced with me from Yorkshire, England, over the telephone about the days we spent together during the bombing and then later at her little farm in the Cotswolds. She reminded me of the many humorous aspects of things we did together when I was able to visit her during the war.

      This is to remember too, my cousin, Tom Davey, an intrepid Spitfire pilot, who with his girl friend, WAF Jill, also visited my sister when I could get a weekend off work in London. Many years later by which time I was married and lived in Georgia, we would visit on the telephone and talk about these times, and she would remind me of events I might have forgotten. So she also helped contribute to this book.

      In later years I became friends with Dylys Clements, a lady with a great sense of humor and a good story teller. Over cups of English tea she reminded me many times of stories I had told her about living in London during the war and encouraged me to write these down in a book about those times.

      Sandy Atkinson, without whose timeless help with the computer, I could never have finished the book.

      I also wish to express thanks to my publishing associates at LifeRich Publishing, especially Emma Gliessman, whose patience with me was much appreciated.

      But lastly, it was really my daughter, Beryl Westlake, who helped me the most with her very helpful critiques and advice about putting more of myself and other people into my writing, in other words to humanise the stories. She also helped me make my often stiff English language easier to understand for the American public. Besides all this she encouraged me daily to GET IT DONE.

      Chapter I

      I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat

      —said Churchill on May 10, 1940.

      THE VERY WORD WAR CONJURES up vivid memories of World War II for me. Should I begin when most people were praising the then Prime Minister Chamberlain of Britain, who my father pronounced a silly old woman, for his so-called peace talks with Chancellor Hitler of Germany? How right he was! Yet, on hindsight this gave Britain time to prepare for what was to come.

      My brother, only 13 at the time, arrived home from Norway ahead of schedule as the ship he sailed on was being chased by a German U-boat, much to a small boy’s excitement. This was in late August 1939, just before war was declared.

      The British Government issued an ultimatum to Germany that if they attacked Poland, we would declare war. So on September 3, Prime Minister Chamberlain gravely announced on the radio that we, with France, were at war with Hitler’s Germany. I well remember hearing this announcement while standing in our drawing room, looking out through the French doors at the sunny flower gardens outside, not really taking it in. If Hitler had invaded us then he might have succeeded in conquering us as no country could have been less prepared for war than Britain at that time. In the 6 o’clock news the King in his slow measured speech told us that we were once more at war with the German nation.

      Men of all ages from 14 to 60, regardless of health, were drilling with garden tools. How grateful we were to President Roosevelt of the USA for sending supplies rather than entering the conflict at that time!

      Rumors flew of attempted German landings at various coastal points which were off limits to the civilian population. Already German U-boats were chasing allied shipping crossing the North Sea to the British Isles. The Spitfires protected shipping in the English Channel. Gone were our annual summer seaside holidays at the south coast to which we would take the steam train with great excitement. I remember proudly telling my younger brother that the train would be travelling 60 miles an hour, never dreaming that one day I myself would be driving a car greater than that speed. What a different world it was then!

      In later years I learned that Britain was struggling for survival but I doubt that thought ever entered my head in those days.

      Both at school and at

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1